ETHIOPIA

Ethiopia is a country with a rich 3000 years of sovereign history. Surviving independent for 3000 years, the country has seen the rise and fall of a number of dynamic civilizations, all of which left their record for modern people to see.

Present day Ethiopia once was in control over the vast East African territory. Back then, it also was a world famous influential power house with control over the Red Sea, Indian trade routes, and the south Arabian countries as well. Ethiopia built the first Christian church on the soil of Africa, as Christianity crossed the border in the 4th C.AD during the time of the Axumite kingdom. Orthodox Christians believe the church still shelters the original Ark of the Covenant brought from Israel by King Menelik l of Ethiopia.

Modern Ethiopia, the wonder land, is a land of varieties, extremities, uniqueness, freedom, colorful culture, religions, legends, adventure, natural beauty and much more. It fits on a structure popularly called the Horn of Africa. Covering a total area of 1,112,000 sq.kms, it shares boundaries with Kenya, Sudan, Somalia, Djibouti and Eritrea.

Ethiopia ranks 3rd in population size within Africa, with 75 million citizens who come from about 80 different tribal groups, each speaking a different language or dialect and with own dancing, art, musical traditions, and other culture.  Ethiopia stands as the only nation in Africa to have developed an alphabet still in use today.

Come to Ethiopia for either fascinating modern societies or to see unique pieces of the past. Ethiopia was probably the original home of human kind. The 1974 discovery of Lucy, locally called Dinkinesh (meaning “you are special”), supports this claim.

Ethiopia - the origin of mankind

Ethiopia is the earliest known home of humankind. A skeleton of an older human ancestor Australopithecus Afarensis was discovered in 1974 in the Afar region. Anthropologists have established that the skeleton covering 40% of the human body had belonged to a twenty-years-old female that lived 3.5 million years ago. Registered by the United Nations Education, Science, and Culture Organization (UNESCO) as a World Heritage, the site of the discovery is called Hadar - situated 160 kilometers northeast of Addis Ababa. The skeleton is now found in the National Museum in Addis Ababa.

HOMINIDS

Fragments of a frontal bone and of a femur were recovered in the Pliocene Formations of Maka. In the Middle Pliocene Formation of Bodo d'Ar, dated to 300,000 - 150,000 years, a frontal and other remains of a human skull were discovered in 1976. This fossil probably belongs to an archaic Homo Sapiens.

HOMO SAPIENS SAPIENS

The fossil skulls known as Omo I and II come from the kibish formation (200,000/100,000 years ago) in the Omo Valley. Not withstanding the presence of some archaic features, such as the thickness of the cranial walls, the appearance of modern anatomical features, the elevated frontal and the presence on the mandible of Omo I of a real bony chin, allow them to be considered, without doubt, close to Homo Sapiens Sapiens.Up on request, Vast Ethiopia Tours can arrange a tour program to discover these archeological sites if necessary with a combination of other attractions.

Ethiopia, well known to the ancient writers...

Ethiopia was well known to the ancient writers. It is mentioned in the Bible more than 38 times by both Old Testament and New Testament writers. So, in accordance with the Biblical traditions of the ancient Israel, Ethiopia is described as the land of "CUSH" which was located by the "RIVER NILE" (Gen. 2: 13). The Septuagint (The Greek Translation) also describes it after the name of "ETHIOPIA" which has the same location.

Apart from the Biblical traditions, many historians knew Ethiopia and described its geographical location, referring towards the south of Egypt, which was populated by both Hamitic and Semitic stocks of people. According to the ancient Egyptian tradition, it was known as the "LAND OF PUNT" located at the end of the World, and they said "Land of Ghost."

Homer (Greek poet of the 8th century B.C.) knew of this historical land and its people, when he said "ETHIOPIA, THE LAND OF SUN BURNED FACE." He described inhabitants again, as "THE BLAMELESS RACE. " Herodotus (Greek historian, 485-25 B.C.) praised the nation of Ethiopia as " THE MOST JUST MEN". The legal Source of Ethiopia starts the introduction of Judaism to Ethiopia is recorded in the KEBRE NEGEST (The Glory of the Kings). This book reflects heavily its focal point upon two historical events:

A. The birth of Menilek, Son of Solomon, King of Israel and the Queen Sheba of Ethiopia. (970-33 B.C.)
B. The Ark of the Covenant which was brought to Axum from Jerusalem by the Levites. (946-B.C. ?)

Apart from the Kebre Negest, there are vast reliable written sources which describe that Ethiopia had good relationship with the Nation of Israel. According to Biblical Sources, the relationship began in the time of Moses, which continues perpetually throughout the time of the New Testament era. (Numbers 12:1; I Kings 10:1-13; 2 Chron. 9:1-12; Mt. 12:42; Acts 8:27-39).

These sources start that next to the nation of Israel only Ethiopia knew, and confessed the Almighty God (The God of Abraham) and worshiped Him regularly. For example, The psalmist said: ETHIOPIA SHALL SOON STRETCH OUT HER HANDS UNTO GOD'S. (Ps. 67:31 68).

This witness affirms the earnest prayer of Ethiopia, which was based on her impeccable faith in the Almighty God. Even among the people of Israel, the Ethiopians seem to be more dear to the Almighty God than they. For example, Amos, the Prophet, bears witness of this truth, when he says: "ARE YOU NOT LIKE THE ETHIOPIANS TO ME, O PEOPLE OF ISRAEL?"